FCH captain Mainka engages in relegation-race arithmetic, Boateng's agent hits back at Schmidt
FC Heidenheim captain Patrick Mainka couldn't help but engage in an arithmetical exercise during his post-match comments following a defeat to Bayern yesterday.
In other Heidenheim-related news, Jerome Boateng's agent has struck back at trainer Frank Schmidt for comments he made both post-match and at a Friday presser.
Even if newly-promoted (and surprisingly successful) 1. FC Heidenheim punched back against the mighty FC Bayern München to nearly earn a draw yesterday, FCH captain Patrick Mainka wished to remain realistic about his team's chances of remaining in the German top flight. The Albogen club have accumulated an impressive 10 points through 11 Bundesliga match-days in the young campaign. Mainka still wished to focus on the fact that his squad didn't earn any against Bayern.
In other Heidenheim-related news, Jerome Boateng's agent has struck back at trainer Frank Schmidt for comments he made both post-match and at a Friday presser.
"Of course we can be proud of ourselves, but in the end it's still a results-based sport and we're just as empty-handed as we were in Gladbach," Mainka told the Sky mics: "We can also be proud that we're disappointed, because we were up for it. It's more disappointment than pride right after the game."
"Ten points count as neither feast nor famine," Mainka continued, "A third of the season has been played, if you extrapolate, it will be 30 points in the end, which will most likely be difficult."
Mainka is absolutely correct in that the general rule of thumb for the German top flight holds that a team must obtain at least 35 points to secure safety at the end of the season. Last year's automatically relegated sides (Hertha, 29 and Schalke 31) came up short. Stuttgart had to contest the relegation playoffs on 33 points. Augsburg barely survived with 34 points.
"It's going to be a long, hard, and rocky road," Mainka surmised, "We've had phases in which we weren't even in contention for a point. We still have to play Leipzig [away from home after hosting Bochum in the first game back from the international break]."
Trainer Frank Schmidt mostly concurred with Mainka's comments, noting that he had retained little hope that his side could head to the Allianz Arena and compete with the mighty German giants. Schimdt's post-match quotes yesterday - along with some comments at a Friday presser - generated quite a bit of media coverage.
Asked about rumors that Heidenheim were considering bringing Jerome Boateng in as a free-agent to help shore up the defense, the long-serving FCH trainer said he knew nothing about it at the presser. Schmidt reiterated his surprise when speaking to Sky yesterday and took a direct dig at the former German national team stalwart.
"From my perspective, I was very surprised to read about it," Schmidt said, "Our DNA blueprint revolves around training and developing young and hungry players. He wouldn't fit in so well."
On Sunday, Boateng's agent responded to the Schmidt's words when contacted for comment by Germany's "Sport Bild" tabloid. Boateng's advisor Tolga Dirican insisted that the club wanted his client and that, if anything, it was the 35-year-old who had no interest in moving to the BaWü border town.
"We are very surprised by Frank Schmidt's statements," Dirican told the tabloid, "The sporting director asked for a meeting which took place on November 3rd. Jérôme never gave his word to Heidenheim and at no time expressed his interest in moving there. Instead, Heidenheim wanted to invite him and courted him. To now turn this around as if Heidenheim cancelled Jérôme is bizarre and insolent."